Garment pressing machine



Nov. 17, 1931. E. H. ZACHARl-AS 1,332,521

I GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE Filed Sept. 22, 1924 Patented Nov. 17, 1931 EDWIN H. ZACHARIAS, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE Application filed September 22, 1924. Serial No. 739,090.

This invention relates to garment pressing machines, and certain features relate generally to the art, while other features relate particularly to a press for finishing the bottoms of trousers.

The principal object of the present invention is to produce a garment pressing machine on which garments may more conveniently be handled, and in which'the general appearance of the pressed garment is superior to that possible on other machines.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a machine which will enable an operator to press the cuff bottoms of trousers in sucha way that matching of the vertical seams and matching of the two sides of the bottom is insured. 7

Other objects of the invention concern the specific details of the machine as set forth in the specification and particularly specified in the claims.

In practically all, if not all, garment pressing machines, the operator is forced to release entirely the garment to be pressed at the point where it is to be pressed prior to the actual act of pressing, and in pressing certain parts of garments, such, for example, as the bottom of a pair of trousers, it is absolutely impossible in any present machine to insure that the two vertical seams shall register, and that one side or the other side of the trousers shall not pull away from the other when the iron is brought down to the buck. Expert operators are able to tell, it is true, by the feel of the garment the approximate stretch and shrink, and them-by pulling one side or the other to apoint considerably be yond where it is desired to rest after pressing, such expert operator can match the 4 trousers very well, in most all cases, but even the most expert operator will turn out trousers wherein either the outside or the inside of the leg is slightly below the other side, and in which the crease is not vertical as it should be. Probably the largest cause contributing to this effect is that it has been deemed impossible up to the present to sponge from the buck as well as from the iron, and it has been V invariably the custom in the art to sponge from the iron only, and naturally, this causes an uneven shrinking of the various thicknesses.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of the press embodying the present invention Figure 2 is a front view thereof; and

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the upper iron at the inlet for the sponging steam.

The frame 10 of the press resembles in some measure a letter C, from which extends the integral rear leg 11 and the two front and side legs 12, these side legs being integral with the plunger casing '14, which is bolted to the main frame bybolts or other fastenings 16, which pass through the aligned rectangular panels 17 and 18 integral with the casing and frame respectively. I prefer to make the large frame of I-beam cross section. as is not uncommon in machines of this character, the web being vertical, and the plates following the contour of the frame.

The table 20 is preferably of wood, and while not essential, is an extremely useful piece of equipment. The table is secured to a bracket 21 secured to or integral with the plunger 22, which slides freely in the casing 14, and in its lowered position, rests upon a spring 23 resting on a block 24 pinned to the casing 14, as at 26, and forming the bottom so closure of the casing.

. A forwardly extending lug 30 has an opening 31 therein to snugly receive a pivot block 32 which may be adjusted to desired vertical height by means of the set screw 33 provided with the usual lock nut to hold it in the proper position. The trunnion on this pivot block 32 forms the fulcrum of a cross lever 34 receiving its motion from the foot operated treadle lever 36 through a link 37. This link 87 forms with the rear end 88 of the treadle lever a toggle so that when the pivot 40 between the link 87 and the treadle lever is. in line with the two adjacent pivots the plunger is in its elevated position, and there is no tendency of any kind for it to be lowered. The plunger 22 is secured to the cross lever 34 by a pin of ordinary type preferably cot tered at each end and extending through a frame opening 41 in each side of the casing,

as I prefer to have the operating levers for the plunger in duplicate as illustrated, although obviously a single set could be used.

The iron and the buck 46, which hereinafter shall be referred to as the upper and lower irons, respectively, are made from similar castings, and except that the lower iron is inverted, are identical. Each iron consists of a hollow rectangular casting, providing steam space to heat the iron, but having aseries of cylindrical columns 48 therein arranged along the longitudinal center line of" the irons, these irons being placed on the machine with their length extending from side to side. Each of the columns 48 is centrally perforated, forming a bore 49, which extends from the pressing face 50 to a longitudinal bore 51, which is tapped as at 52 to receive the inlet nipple 54, which carries a tee 55, to which is oined directly the sponging steam pipe 56 and the vacuum pipe 57, the latter being secured to an elbow 58 and carrying adjacent the elbow a spring-pressed valve 59 of the type often referredto as a whistle valve. It will be noted that the vacuum line and the sponging line both connect to the irons through the same opening, and that each has direct access through the bores 49 with the pressing surfaces 50.

The steam for heating the irons is brought from the main 60 through the horizontal pipe 62, entering the upper iron 45 atthe top, and also entering the lower iron 46 at the top. This makes the irons reversed as to the relation of the inlet'steam pipe to the pressingiron is formedwith all tight oints, since the upper iron in the device as shown is fixed so that the lower iron 46 moves relatively thereto.

necessitates a slight change in the arranges mentof the pipes leading to it. I findthat flexible piping is too short-livedfor-work of this kind, and I, therefore, providea pluralityv of swing joints such as between the pipe sections connecting the main 60 with the lower iron 46. The movement of the lower joint 70 just offsetfrom the main 60 is, of course, very slight, and in fact, the angle of movement of any of the joints is very small, as the lower iron moves but very little, in fact, just enough to conveniently permit the insertion of the garment section to be pressed, usually a single leg of a pair of trousers.

In order to make the illustration clearer, I have purposely omitted the return steam pipe connections joining pipe 64 to the main and the sections connecting the pipes 57 to the vacuum source, but it will be understood'that I these pipings are provided with hinged joints exactly similartothose illustrated in full in Such movement of the lower ironconnection with the heating steam pipe for the lower iron.

The two treadle levers 36 are joined at their forward ends by a treadle adjacent which is a small lever 76, which through the link 77, bell crank lever 78, )ivoted to the front leg 12, as at 79, and the long link operates the triple-armed lever 81 connected by links to the valves 82 controlling the admission of sponging steam through the bores 49. The operation of this mechanism is believed to be obvious. The treadle 75 is depressed until the toggle 37, 88, 40 is in dead line, and at any time during this movement or in fact when the lower iron is in. either top or bottom position, a pressure by the toe of the operator on the lever 76 simultaneously opens both sponging valves irrespective of the position of the treadle, since the lever- 76 is pivoted to the treadle and the pivot 79 of the linkage is in approximate alignment withthe main pivot of the treadle lever.

On a bracket secured'to the floor adj acent the frame 10, 11, 12, is pivoted a lever 91 having at its-rear end a cam projection 92. Pivotedto one end of the lever 91 is a link 93 which is connected by a bell crank 94 to a vertical rod 95 pivoted at and near its upper end to bell crank levers 96 and 97 pivoted to the mainframe and operating the valves 59 in the vacuum lines. This lever 91 is called'into play forits two-fold function only when the treadle 75 is depressed and the lower iron elevated, although obviously, it can be operated toopen the vacuum line valves at-any time. lVhen the toggle is in dead line position, it may readily be broken by engagement with cam projection 92 of the forward arm of the treadle lever 36, since this treadle lever isa bell crank lever, the arms 36 and 38 being integral. Any lowering ofthe lower or buck iron will obviously simultaneously open the vacuum lines, which is highly desirable.

The stops 98'are carried at the end of a set screw 99 threadedthrough a slight laterally extendingshelf 100 on the casing 14, and may be secured in adjusted position by the lock nut 101.

I claim:

1. In a garment pressing machine, a frame, a member movable therein, a press ing ironon said member, and a. similar pressing iron fixed 011 said frame, means for admitting heating steam to each of said irons, independent means for admitting sponging steam to each of said irons, vacuum means'for withdrawing the unused sponging steam, and a single means for controllirg the lowering of said member and its iron and for rendering effective the vacuum means.

2. Inaniron for a garment pressing machine, ahollowcasting forming a heating chamber, anda plurality of tubes leading through said chamber to the pressing face ofsaid iron and communicating with each int.

other, means for admitting heating steam to said heating chamber, and vacuum and sponging steam connections, each communieating with each of said tubes.

3. In a garment pressing machine,aplurality of similar pressing irons, one of which is movable with respect to the other, piping leading to each of said irons having respectively heating steam, sponging steam, and vacuum suction, means for raising and lowering the movable iron, means carried by said last mentioned means for controlling the admission of sponging steam to the irons irrespective of the position of the movable iron, and independent means for initiating the downward movement of the movable iron and simultaneously opening the valves in each of the vacuum suction lines.

4:. In a garment pressing machine, a plurality of steam heated pressing irons, one of which is movable relatively to the other, each being provided with means for conveying steam through the heated irons to the cooperating pressing surfaces, means for discharging sponging steam through the said irons independently of the heating steam,foot operated means for controlling the admission of said sponging steam, foot operated means for controlling the relative position of one of said irons with respect to the other, and iiidependent foot controlled means for connecting the sponging steam passageways through said pressing irons to a suction source.

5. In a garment pressing machine, a stationary iron, a movable iron, means for conveying to said stationary iron heating steam, sponging steam, and suction pressure, means for conveying to said movable iron heating steam, sponging steam, and suction pressure, said last mentioned means including a plurality of hinged joints whereby the respective heating steam, sponging steam, and suction pipe lines .for the two irons may be connected to a single set of pipings and may be simultaneously operated.

6. An iron for garment pressing machines consisting of a hollow casting having a heating steam space therein, a conduitwithin said casting for conveying sponging steam out of contact with said heating steam, and having a plurality of bores in said casting communicating with said conduit for conveying the sponging steam from said conduit to the pressing face of the iron but out of contact with the heating steam.

7. An iron for garment pressing machines consisting of a hollow casting having a heating steam space therein, a passageway within said casting for conveying sponging steam out of contact with said heating steam, and having a plurality of bores therein for conveying the sponging steam from said passageway to the pressing face of the iron but out of contact with the heating steam, a fitting tapped into said passageway, a vacuum which forms a space for'the heating steam,

means for introducing heatingsteam into said space, means for withdrawing steam from'said space, a plurality of aligned columns extending through said space, each having a bore therein communicating with the pressing face of the iron, alongitudinal passageway communicating with the bore of each column, and means for connecting said passageway with a sponging steam line,

whereby the sponging steam may be delivered the entire length of the iron at its center line and entirely out of communication with the heating steam. V

9. In a garment pressing machine, a frame, an upper fixed steam heated iron secured'to said frame, a lower movable iron adapted to contact therewith to press a garment, raising and lowering meanst'or the movable iron including two levers and a link between said levers, one of said levers being pivoted at such one end to said frame and the other lever being centrally pivoted to the frame at such point as to form with the link a toggle which is in dead line position when the irons are in substantial contact, means for moving the centrally pivoted lever about its pivot to break the toggle and permit the movement of the movable iron, and means operatively connecting the first lever to the movable iron.

10. In a bottom press, a fixed and a movable iron, means for admitting sponging steam to the garment through one of said irons, means for moving said irons into pressing position, a vacuiun pipe line communicating with the iron having the sponging means therein, means for separating said irons, a valve for opening the vacuum line to withdraw unused sponging steam, and mechanism positively connecting the separating means and the vacuum line valve whereby any separation of the two irons by said separating means will open the vacuum line.

11. In a bottom press, a fixed and a movable iron, each steam heated, and each having means for conveying sponging steam to the pressing faces, a vacuum line extending to each iron and communicating with the sponging steam line, a valve in each of the vacuum lines, a valve in each of the sponging steam lines, means for moving one of said lI'OllS into substantial contact with the other to press a garment, means independent of the position of the irons for admitting sponging steam at will simultaneously to both irons, and means positively connecting both of the vacuum line valves sothat separation of the irons by said separating means will open the vacuum lines.

12. In a garment pressing machine, a frame, a member vertically movable in said frame, a lever pivoted to said frame at one end and pivoted to the movable member between its ends, a pedal lever pivoted be tween its ends to the frame, and a link pivoted to the free ends of the two lever 13. In a pressing machine, a frame, a member vertically slidable in said frame, a buffer spring engaging said member when approaching the lower limit of its movement, and means for moving said member, said last mentioned means including a lever centrally pivoted to the frame, a second lever pivotally connected to the movable member between its ends, a link secured to one end of the first lever and to one end of said second lever, and means for securing the fulcrum end of said second lever in adjusted position to the frame, said fulcrum end being adjustable so that the pivotal conuection between the link and the first lever can be brought into line with the central pivot of the first lever and the pivotal connection between the second lever and the link when the member is at one end of its travel.

In testimony whereof I my signature.

EDWIN H. ZACHARIAS. 

